Hub-odometer.



0. H. VERDER. HUB ODOMETBR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1914.

1,125,607. Patented. m19, 1915.

""2 d da In Ven torf.'

VUNITED STATES PAENT OFFRE.

CURTIS HUSSEY VEEDER, OF HARTFORD, CNNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR T THE VEEDEB MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORTION 0F CONNECTICUT.

HUB-ODOMETER.

ing in the city of Hartford, in the State of- Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Hub-Odometers, of which the, following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

rlhis invention relates generally to hub odometers and is concerned particularly with the gearing by which the registering mechanism is driven from the driving mechanism which, as usual, is in operative engagement with the vehicle axle.

lt will be understood that adequate provision must be made in odometers for changes in the diameter of the wheel to which the odometer is applied so that the registering mechanism will be accurate whether the odometer is secured to one vehicle or an-- other. lt has been proposed to change certain of the gears within the odometer casing, when required, to afford compensation for the changes in the diameter of the wheel to which the odometer is applied. A. change of the character referred to may not readily be made, however, since the registering mechanism and its chain of gearing is sealed within the odometer casing when the latter is sent out from the factory.

lt is the object of the present invention to vprovide a driving gear between the registering mechanism and the driving mechanism on the axle which is readily accessible at all times and which maybe changed according to the diameter of the wheelto which the odometer is applied to insure accurate registration.

rlhe improved gearing may be changed without disturbing the registering mechaf nism or any of the parts of the driving mechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatentedalan. i9, 19%.

Application led June 22, 1914.- Seral No. 846,426.

the removable gears mounted in accordance with the invention.

The axle a carries in suitable bearings (not illustrated) the hub t of the wheel, to

which is secured in the usual manner the adapter c, in the outer end of which is threaded the odometer cap or casing d. ln the embodiment illustrated, the registering mechanism is adapted to be driven through a flexible driving connection, indicated generally at e, and having its inner plate e engaged with the end of the axle a through a slot a formed in the end of the axle and a stud e2 carried on the within said slot. rl`he invention 1s not concerned with the formation of the driving connection, although it is desirable that some such partition plate, as f, be interposed between the driving connection e and the odometer cap ci, for reasons to be noted.

One member of the driving connection e, such as the plate o'r arm e3, is provided with a polygonal opening substantially concentric with the axle and is anged around this opening, as at et, to engage the edges of a central opening formed in the circular partition plate f, this opening in the partition f, however, being somewhat larger than the diameter' of the hub portion of the plate e3 at the point where it is flanged, so that the plate f may rotate freely around said hub portion of the.plate e3, as will be the case when the hub of the wheel rolls about the axle a. The opening formed in the member e3 of the driving connection e'is polygonal in outline, as indicated at e5 in Fig. 2, andreceives therein the correspondingly shaped hub g on which is formed a'driving gear g. The gear g is engaged by a second gear it carried on a driving shaft of the registerat t", to receive the gear 7a. This extendedA portion z" is preferably polygonal in outline, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the gear It is provided with an opening of corresponding outline to prevent relative movement between the shaft and the gear, as will be understood.

The present invention 1s not concerned with the actual construction of the registering mechanism nor with the intermediate driving connections between it and the main actuating shaft t. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shaft z' is connected to an ecplate e and resting realization of the advantages to be secured y by the present invention, there are certain details- 'of construction which it has been found desirable to embody in the improved odometer and its driving mechanism. For

instance, the cap (l which is shown as provided with an inner Wall d3. is recessed on its inner Wall as-at Z to receive in threaded engagement ja bearingpiece k for the driving gear g', which 1s grooved, as at la', to form a ball-race for the balls Z. The "hub g has its proximate end grooved similarly to fornita ball race against which bear theballs Z, the result being that relative rotation between the casing CZ and the gear g is greatly facilitated. The race member 7c is provided withV a central boss .t2 which extends through the hub g and forms an axle and bearing member therefor. The hub is removably mounted on the member k.

Another detail of construction which should be noted is the provision of the annular recess Z2 in the end Wall d3 of the casing d, to receive the gear h which transmits movement to the main driving shaft for the registering mechanism. The recess cl2 permits the outer face of the gear hto lie Within the face of the rear Wall Z3 of the casing Z and permits the partition plate f to hold the gear it against axial movement along the shaft z'.

vFrom the description, it Will now be understood. that the odometer cap d is assen,

bled complete with all of the operating mechanism for theregister, as is the driving connection e With the plate f. When the odometer is to be applied to the Wheel, it is only necessary for the mechanic to determine, as from achart, the proper ratio betvveen the -gears g and lb, in viewof the diameter of the wheel, to insure accurate i registration of the registering mechanism. 4 The gears g and k may be supplied independently of the odometer itself, and in varying diameters, so that when the proper diameters are determined, it is only necessary to insert the hub g of the gear g Within the polygonal opening in the plate e3,

and' to slide the gear h into the polygonal portion t" of the shaft z', whereupon the odometer cap may be threaded into,` the Y adapter c andthe latter be secured to -the lto hub ?2. If the odometer is subsequently removed from the Wheel and applied to a Wheel ofdifi'erent diameter, then the gears g' and h may be changed, in the manner described, for gears of dierent pitch. I

Changes in the details of construction may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, provided such mechanism of a hub odometer and a cap provided with a rear Wall forming a chamber in which said mechanism is Wholly disposed, an actuating shaft for the mechanism extended through and beyond the rear Wall of the cap, a driving connection for the reg- 's istering mechanism adapted to have operative engagement with the vehicle axle, a

gear secured removably on the extended portion ofthe said actuating shaft, and a cooperating gear i'n driving engagement with said driving connection but freely slidable axially with respect thereto to permit its removal from the driving connection.

Q. in combination with lthe registering mechanism of a hubv odometer and a cap provided With a rear Wall forming a chamber in which said mechanism is Wholly disposed, an actuating shaft for the mechanism extending through and beyond the rear Wall of the cap, the rear Wall having a recess therein in Which the projecting end ofthe actuatingshaft terminates, a gear mounted on said extended portion of the actuatingshaft and in driving engagement therewith but freely slidable axially thereon to permit its removal, a driving connection for l the registering mechanism adapted to have operative engagement With the vehicle axle,

and .a gear in mesh With the first named gear and 1n driving engagement With said driving connection but freely slidable axi?A ally with respect thereto to permit its removal from the driving connectionk 3. ln combination With the registering mechanism of a hub odometer and a cap l.

provided with a rear Wall forming a chamber in Whichsaid mechanism is Wholly disposed, an actuating shaft for the 'mechanism extended through and beyond the rear Wall of the cap, a driving connection for the registering mechanism adapted to have operative engagement with the vehicle axle, a gear secured removably on the extended portion of the said actuating shaft, a cooperating gear in driving engagement With said driving connection but freely slidabl'e axially with respect thereto to permit its removal from the driving connection, and a plate secured in proximity to the inner Wall of the odometer cap and arranged to prevent axial movement of the rst named gear along the actuating shaft during use of the odometer cap is removed from the hub. moval of both of said gears when lthe odometer cap is removed from the hub.

4. In combination With the registering mechanism of a hub odometer and a cap i provided with a rear Wall forming a chamlli) manco? a gear carried on said shaft, a'driving connection for the registering mechanism adapted to have operative engagement With the vehicle axle and including a coupling member provided 'with a central aperture of irregular outline, and a driving gear for the rst named gear having a hub of irregu` la'r outline to correspond With the outline of the aperture, the hub being adapted to rest removably Within the said aperture to eEect a driving engagement between the coupling member and the second named gear While permitting the second named gear to be slipped readily out of engagement with .the driving member."

5. lin combination vvith the registering -mechanism of a hub' odometer and a cap provided with a rear Wall forming a chamber in which said mechanism is Wholly disextended through and beyond the rear Wall.

posed, anactuating shaft for the mechanism of the cap,'a driving connection for the registering mechanism provided with an irregular central aperture, a gear secured reand serving to limitthe movement of the [said hub and second named gear in the opposite direction.

This specification signed and Vwitnessed this 19 day of June A. D. 1914.

CURTIS HUSSEY VEEDER.

Signed in the presence of- E. BARRIE SMITH,

KATHERINE D. KENNEDY. 

